Polynesian Perfection

Pokéworks introduces the Hawaiian staple to Thayer Street

Posted
Friday, April 20, 2018 8:27 am

Photo by Robert Isenberg

By Robert Isenberg

The poké bowl is a pretty simple dish: just add rice, raw fish, and some coastal greens. But once you see the Pokéworks menu, you’ll be astonished at how much you can customize it: there’s tuna and salmon, sriracha and wasabi, edamame and seaweed, and you can order a bowl or roll it into a wrap. The local Pokéworks opened on Thayer Street in February, the first brick-and-mortar restaurant in the state to specialize in the fish-infused bowls, and lunchtime lines already run out the door.

Poké bowls are a staple of Hawaiian cuisine and have triggered a typhoon of popularity. Pokéworks franchises are everywhere, from San Francisco to Harvard Square – astonishing for a company that was founded in 2015. The restaurant is bright and fast-paced, and if guests can’t find a stool, the poké bowl is extremely portable.

“It’s really invigorating,” says owner Jason Sugarman. “We have a breadth of options to pick from. You can taste something totally different each time.”The mix of seafood and global greens can also be quite nutritious, depending on what you order. The seaweed wrap, for instance, provides 15 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement, while the ahi tuna packs more than half of your vitamin A. Plus there’s a rainbow of spice options, catering to every level of tolerance.

“My favorite is the Thai chili peppers,” adds Sugarman. “It punches you right in the face.” Thayer Street